Flashlight having an angularly adjustable lamp carrier and hood



Aug. 14, 1951 A. VON HAASE 2,564,412

' FLASHLIGHT HAVING AN ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE LAMP CARRIER AND HOOD Filed Feb. .15, 1947 7 INVENTOR.

- l6 .1 50 Authors} Von Haase 8 4 Z4 5 9 BY F1 5 2/ W A) ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED sures: PATENT orrics FLASHLI'GHT HAVING AN ANGULARLY A= J USTABLE LAMP CARRIER AND HOOD Anthony von Haase; Cleveland. Ohio Application February 15, 1947, Serial No. 728;86

17 Claims. 1

This invention relates to portable electric flashlights, particularly to flashlights of small size such as can be carried about in a purse or handbag. Certain features of the invention have wider application. however, and are useful in other types of flashlights.

The improved flashlight of the present. invention includes numerous construction advantages and novel arrangements of parts which con tribute to the utility of the device and make it extremely simple in design and inexpensive to manufacture. Among the features which this invention aims to provide in a flashlight are: a combined protecting and light directing hood member which carries the lamp, the hood and lamp being movable as a unit between active and inactive positions; utilization of the movement of the lamp in bringing the base of the lamp into and out of engagement with electrical contacts for automatic energization and deenergization of the lamp; unique arrangements or devices for fastening the flashlight in place in a. purse or handbag.

The hood member acts as a carrier for the lamp and is rotatably mounted on the tubular battery case. The case and the carrier cooperate in clamping the flange of the lamp base to retain the lamp in proper position in the assembly.

Attaching means for the device include circular wire pins carried in grooves formed in the outer surface of the battery case, one end of each pin being anchored in the case to prevent rotation of the pin about the case when pinning the flashlight in place in a purse or handbag. In another arrangement, a jumper or electrical connector bar, utilized in closing the electrical circuit of the flashlight, is formed with offset portions or loops which are extended through the side Wall of the battery casing to form fasten ing eyes by means of which the flashlight is attached by stitching to the inside of a purse or handbag.

Certain objects and advantages of the invention pertain to an improved flashlight design which is particularly suited to fabrication out of plastic materials with a minimum number of parts and with very little handwork. or finishing.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is. a front elevational view of an opened ladys handbag having a flashlight embodying the present invention mounted therein;

2 Fig. 2 is an end view of the bag shown in Fig. 1 in closed position and with parts removed to show the position of the flashlight;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view partly in section and with parts removed. of the flashlight Shown in Figs. 1 and 2", and enlarged with respect to those figures;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the. flashlight showing the rotative carrier for the lamp and.

1e protecting and light reflecting hood;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the flashlight taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3 and showing in. broken lines the on or active position of the carrier hood and lamp assembly;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view with parts removed, showing modified forms of attaching means for the flashlight;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail with parts removed taken substantially on the line 1- of Fig. 6.;

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail with parts removed taken substantially on the line 8-- 8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the lamp and batteries in combination with the electrical connectors for establishing a closed series circuit by means of which the lamp is energized.

Reference is made to the drawings by numerals which indicate like parts throughout the several views. A conventional handbag or purse I having the usual bow-frame assembly 2 for opening and closing the top of the bag is improved and may be used with greater convenience in the dark when fitted with a flashlight which may be easily turned on and off as desired to illuminate the interior of the bag for locating articles therein. The present invention provides, in combination with a handbag, an elongated flashlight of relatively small size, which is attached to the inside of the bag or to the lining thereof so that it is carried in the upper or normally unused portion of the handbag in a convenient, accessible position.

The parts of the flashlight ma be readily made by pressure or injecting molding and other ways known in the plastics art of insulating plastic materials, such as thermosetting orthermoplastic resins of conventional composttion. A battery case or container 3 in the form of an elongated cylindrical tube. or shell slidingly receives a pair of elongated cylindrical batteries '3 and 5 disposed in spaced end-to-end relation. The batteries are of. conventional con struction and for this particular flashlight are suitable spring metal such as brass. Each of the spirng contacts 1 has a circular periphery engaged between the end of the case 3 and one of the caps 5, and a transverse yieldable central portion which is raised or offset for engaging the battery so as to resiliently hold the respective batteries in position in the case. One of the spring contacts 1 engages center or carbon'electrode 8 of the battery 4 at the lefthandend of the flashlight as viewed in Figs. 3 and 9 while the other of the spring contacts I engages the bottom of the outer or zinc casing electrodes of the battery 5 at the right-hand end of the flashlight as viewed in the same figures.

A metal conductor strip or jumper It] extends between the spring contacts 1 and places the batteries 4 and 5 in series with one another. The jumper or electrical conductor has angularly disposed ends H which are engaged by the contacts 1, the parts being-"forced together as the end caps 6 are tightened on the battery casing.

A wall or partition I4 is formed across the interior of the battery casing 3 adjacent the center of the latter, dividing the casing into two chambers, one containing the battery 4 and the other containing the battery 5. The partition Mis apertured at the wall of the case to receive the jumper or conductor Ill and also to pass the arm of a contact element !5. This conother or right-hand chamber of the battery cas-- ing as viewed in Fig. 3, in the space between the end of the battery 5 and the cross-wall M.

Mounted on a central portion of the casing 3 is a combined lamp carrier and hood member which is conveniently formed as an integral unit of molded plastic insulating material. The carrier comprises an arcuate, circularly curved base member [8 which embraces the cylindrical casing 3 and is slidable therearound to different rotative positions. The-base portion 48 of the carrier or hood extends around more than 180 of the circumference of the casing 3 preferably about 240 to about 2'70 degrees-thereof and so as to maintain a grip on the case which retains the parts in assembled relation.

In the central portion of the'carrier member 18 is a circular radial opening [9 which is aligned with a circumferentially elongated lateral opening" 20 (Fig. 5) formed in the side wall of the battery casing 3. The lateral opening 20 communicates with the interior of the casing adjacen't the partition wall [4 between the ends of the batteries 4 and 5.

An electric lamp or bulb 2| extends through 4, the opening I 9 in the carrier member [8 and has a contact base which extends through the lateral opening 20 in the battery case 3 and into the space between the batteries alongside the.

partition M. The contact base of the lamp 2! includes a cylindrical metallic sleeve 22 having an outwardly directed circular radial flange 23 at one end. The flange 23 is received in a shoulderd" circular recess formed about tlie'carrier opening l9. This interfitting' relation of the flange on the bulb base and the carrier [8 retains the lamp in predetermined position with respect to the carrier and prevents lateral shifting of the lamp in the carrier.

The lamp flange 23 is received and confined between that portion of the carrier 18 which surrounds the lamp, opening l9 and the outer surface portions of the battery case 3 along the sides of-theiateral opening 28. In this manner the lamp is restrained against axial movement in the carrier whilebeing bodily movable with the carrier to different rotative positions with respect to the battery casing 3. During such bodily movement the lamp base-22 swings in the elongated opening 28 in the case. Engagement of the lamp base with the sides of the lateral opening 20 restrains the lamp and the carrier 18 against longitudinal shifting or sliding-along the case 3. lv

The inner face of the arcuate retainer I8 is formed with a raised-detent 36 which is engageable with a recess (formed in the outer surface-of the battery casing 3 to retain the carrier member If! in inactive or off position. Another recess 38 in the casing receives the detent 36 to retain the carrier and lamp assembly in active oron position. More than one detent' may, of course, be used, and if desired the detents may be. formed on the exterior of the'case 3 andthe recesses formed in the carrier base l8. r

Within the battery casing the cylindrical metal" sleeve 22 of the lamp base makes continuous electrical contact with central terminal'24 of the battery'5. The battery terminal is resiliently urged against the lamp base by the continuous pressure of the right-hand spring contact 1 as viewed in Figs. 3 and 9, the lamp bearing against one side of the partition l4 The lamp opening l9 and cess 25 which, by interfitting with the lamp base, lock the lamp 2| in the carrier 18 are so formed and arranged as to position the lamp with the longitudinal axis of the lamp, indicated at 26,

laterally offsetfi'om the longitudinal axis and from thecenter line of the battery case, indicated at 21. This oifset of the lamp provides a clearance 23 between the resilient contact I1 and the metallic sleeve 22 of the lamp base, avoiding a short circuit.

The-end of the lamp base has the usual tip contact 30 which is brought into engagement with the yielding contact ll upon rotation of the carrier and lamp assembly in a clockwise direction from the inactive or oiT position indicated by the full lines of Fig. 5 to the active or on position indicated by the broken lines of the same figure.-

In the rotative movement of the carrier and lamp, imparted theretoby a user through manual manipulation of the combined carrier and hood, the parts swing through an arcuate path, the lamp contact 30 moving into the position illustrated in Fig. 9which completes the electrical circuit, and the lamp is energized through the Series connection of the batteries 4-and 5. Durthe shouldered reascasm ing, this rotative movement of the lamp, the metal sleeve 22 of the lamp base remains in conducting relation to the terminal 24 of the battery 5 under the influence of one of the resilient end contact elements I.

Extending laterally from the lamp carrier 18 and formed asan integral part thereof is a hood 3i which-may be of tapered semicircular shape so as to partially surround the lamp. The hood may be concentric to the lamp opening I9 as shown in Fig. 4 and serves to protect the lamp from accidental breakage as well as to reflect the light from the lamp downwardly into the interior of the handbag or purse when the lamp is moved to on position. The hood-3l is of sufficient length so that the tip end 32 thereof extends axially beyond the end of the lamp 2 l. The purse interior is thus fully illuminated by the lamp without light shining out excessively to glare in the eyes of the user.

Adjacent the ends of the battery casing 3 the metal jumper strip it is formed with laterally offset portions 33 which extend through lateral openings 34 in the casing. These offset portions of. the jumper bar provide attaching loops through which pins or thread 35 (Figs. 1 and 2) can be passed to support the flashlight in the handbag or. purse.

In Figs. 6 through '8 is illustrated a modification of the flashlight embodying other means for attaching or mounting the device. A number of integral ears 49 are formed externally on the battery case 3 adjacent the ends of the latter. Preferably two of the ears 40 are located in circumferentially spaced aligned relation at each end of the case, the ears being about 90 degrees apart as shown in Fig. 8. Apertures 4! extending through the ears 4B are used in stitching the ears to the lining of the purse or handbag to support the flashlight in place. In another arrangement a long pin such as a hat pin 52 is extended through the aligned openings or apertures M in the cars at the opposite ends of the case and through the fabric of the handbag in the region between the ears.

In another type of fastener the battery case 3 is formed with circumferentially extending shallow circular grooves 43 located in the outer surface of the case adjacent the ends of the latter. These grooves receive spring Wire pins 44 which are ringlike in form and are more than 36-9 in circumferential length. For example, the rings may each be about 450 in extent, as shown in Fig. '7. One end 35 of each of the pins 44 is sharpened bent radially outward at a small angle so as to be readily passed through the fabric of the handbag or purse. The other end of each pin is formed with an angularly disposed portion 455 which extends radially inward through a hole formed'in the side wall of the case 3 in the bottom of one of the grooves 13. I'he interfitting relation of the offset spring wire end d3 in the hole of the battery case wall prevents circumferential movement of the circular pin about the battery 7 case when inserting the pin through the fabric of the handbag, and retains the flashlight in adjusted position in the purse by reason of the frictional grip of the purse fabric lining between the pin and the battery case. Although the use of the circumferential grooves in the battery case may be omitted, such grooves provide seats for the pin rings and restrain the pins against axial movement along the battery case. A portion 41 of each of the ring pins 44 intermediate the ends of the pin may be laterally offset or curved outwardly-a-way from the walls of the case to provide a loop which receives the material of the handbag orpu'rse to which the flashlight is attached. The flashlight is fastened in the purse by placing the pin ends 45 against the fabric lining and rotating the case 3 to force the pins through the fabric.

The principles of the present invention maybe utilized in various ways, numerous modifications and alterations being contemplated, substitution of: parts and. changes in construction being resorted to as desired, it being understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are given merely for purposes of explanation and illustration without intending to limit the scope of the claims to the specific details disclosed.

WhatI claim is:

1. A flashlight comprising a tubular case; a hood having a carrier portion embracingly mounted on the case and movable circumferentially thereabout, a lamp carried by the hood and positioned with its axis at an angle to the case axis and extending into the interior of the case, battery means in the case, and a contact mounted in the case adjacent the lamp and having electrical connection with the batter means, the lamp being rotatable with the hood to swing from an inoperative position to an operative position in which the lamp-makes electrical connection with the contact means, the carrier portion of the hood being resilient and less than annular in circumferential extent about the case to permit removal of the hood and the lamp substantially in the plane of the lamp axis.

2.. A flashlight comprising a tubular case having a circumferential slot therein, a hood embracing the case over the slot and circumferentially slidable therearound between operative and in-f operative positions, a lamp carried by the hood and positioned with its axis at an angle to the case axis and having a contact base portion extending intothe case through the slot, the lamp being movable to swing with the hood over an arcuate path between operative and inoperative positionsbattery means in the case, and contact means in the case having electrical connection with the battery means, the contact means being Positioned fo-rengagement by the'lamp base upon swinging of the lamp'to operative position wher by the lamp is automatically energized upon said ovement of the hood to operative position and is automatically de-energized upon movement of the hood away from operative position, the case slot being covered by'the' hood and thelamp in r all positions of the-hood.

3. A flashlight comprising a tubular case open at both ends and having a circumfcrentialslot intermediate said ends, a pair of spaced batteries in the casing and removable therefrom through the open ends of the latter, caps for closing the casing ends to retain the batteries therein, a hood casing having electrical connection with one of the batteries and positioned for engagement-by the: lamp contact base upon movement of the lamp'to operative position for automatically makingelectrical connection therewith, the case slot being covered by the hood and the lamp in all positions of the hood.

'4. A flashlight comprising an elongated tubular battery casing having a lateral opening and end openings, a hood disposed substantially wholly on the outside of and mounted on the casing over the lateral opening, a lamp carried by the hood and. having a base portion extendin into the casing through the lateral opening, contact means mounted in the casing in the region of the lateral opening for making electrical connection with a battery in the casing, and battery retaining means for closing the ends of the casing, the hood and lamp being movable as a unit from oil position to on position in which the lamp makes electrical connection with the contact means to energize the lamp therethrough, the lateral opening being closed by the hood and lamp in both on and off positions of the hood.

5. A flashlight comprising an elongated tubular battery casing having a centrally disposed partition therein, a battery on each side of the partition, a lamp extending laterally through the casing adjacent the partition, said lamp having a contact base portion engaging and making direct electrical connection with one terminal of the battery on one side of the partition, means on the outside of the casing supporting the lamp for swinging movement While maintaining said electrical connection, means for efiecting another electrical connection between the lamp and one terminal of the battery on the other side of the partition, and means for making an electrical connection between the other terminals of the batteries to provide a closed circuit through which the lamp is energized.

6. A flashlight for mounting in a purse or the like comprisin an elongated tubular casing for containing a plurality of battery cells in end to end relation and having a central lateral opening, a lamp having a contact base portion extending into the casing through said lateral opening and disposed to make direct electrical connection with a terminal of a battery cell therein, means supporting the lamp for bodily shifting rotative movement in a plane substantially normal to the axis of the casing between on and oil positions, means for establishing another electrical connection between the lamp and one tertending from end to end of the casing to connect the other terminals of the battery cells and provide a, closed circuit for energizing the lamp, said conductor strip having one or more portions extending laterally through the casing to provide attaching loops for securing the flashlight in place.

'7. A flashlight for mounting in a purse or the like comprising an elongated tubular casing for containing a plurality of battery cells in end to end relation and having a central lateral opening, a lamp having a contact base portion extending into the casing through said lateral opening and disposed to engage and make direct electrical connection with a terminal of a battery cell therein, means substantially wholly external to the casing supporting the lamp for bodily shifting rotative movement in a plane substantially normal to the axis of the casing between on and oiT positions, means for establishing another electrical connection between the lamp and one terminal of another battery cell in the easing, said last named connecting means being positioned for contact with the lamp upon movecircular sectioned lamp carrying portion, a lamp support comprising an arcuate member for embracing said portion of the case, an opening in the arcuate member for receiving a lamp with the lamp base projecting through the aperture of the case, the arcuate member includin means external to the case for locating a received lamp in predetermined position relative to the lamp support, and a hood extending outwardly from the arcuate member so as to partially surround a received lamp extending through said opening, the aperture being elongated circumferentially of the case to permit adjustment of the support and lamp to different positions and the support and lamp being arranged cooperatively substantially to cover the aperture in all positions of adjustment.

9. In a flashlight having a battery casing portion of substantially circular section, a lamp support mounted on the casing, and having an arcuate portion embracing the circular casing portion for rotative movement thereabout said support including lamp locating shoulder means, a lamp carried by the support, said shoulder means positioning the lamp so that the axis thereof is offset laterally with respect to the casing axis whereby in moving the lamp and support to different positions about the casing the lamp swings bodily in an arcuate path about the axis of the casing, and means for efiecting electrical connection between battery cells in the casing and the lamp to energize the lamp in one rotative position.

10. A flashlight comprising an insulating battery case, a lamp carrier mounted on the case for movement over the same, a lamp interfitted with the carrier externally of the case for movement therewith and having a contact base extending into the case, contact means carried by the case for engagement by the lamp base, and a hood on the carrier and moveable therewith, said hood being disposed to partially shield and protect the lamp in all positions of movement thereof.

11. A flashlight comprising an insulating battery case, a lamp carrier mounted on the case for movement over the same, a'lamp interfitted with the carrier externally of the case for movement therewith and having a flanged base extending into the case, the flange of the lamp base being disposed between the carrier and the case to prevent axial displacement of the lamp, and electrical contact means carried by the case for engagement by the lamp base and connectable with a battery in the case for energization of the lamp.

12. A flashlight comprising an insulating battery case, a lamp carrier substantially wholly extended to the case and mounted on the case for I movement over the same, a lamp interfitted with the carrier for movement therewith and having a flanged base extending into the carrier, the flange of the lamp base being disposed between the carrier and the case to prevent axial displacement of the lamp, a hood on the carrier and moveable therewith, said hood being disposed to partially shield and protect the lamp in all positions of movement thereof, and electrical contact means carried by the case for engagement by the lamp base and oonnectible with a battery in the case for energization of the lamp.

13. In combination in a flashlight a battery casing, a hood member disposed substantially wholly on the outside of the casing and having a body portion embracing the casing and a shade portion disposed to extend laterally from the casing, the hood member being mounted on the casing for relative movement, a lamp carried. by the hood member and interfitted therewith to locate the lamp in predetermined relation to the shade portion, the lamp having a base portion extending into the casing, a battery in the casing, and contact means carried by the casing and disposed to make electrical connection with the battery, said lamp and hood member being movable as a unit between active and inactive positions, the lamp base being adapted upon movement of the lamp to active position to make electrical connection with the contact means to effect energization of the lamp.

14. In combination in a flashlight a battery casing having a lamp opening therein, a hood member disposed substantially wholly on the outside of the casing and having a body portion embracing the casing and a shade portion disposed to extend laterally from the casing, the hood member being mounted on the casing for relative movement, a lamp carried by the hood member and interfitted therewith to locate the lamp in predetermined relation to the shade portion, the lamp having a base portion extending into the casing through said opening therein, the lamp base being engageable with the walls of the opening in the casing to locate the hood member relative to the casing and to limit the relative movement of the hood member on the casing, a battery in the casing, and contact means carried by the casing and disposed to make electrical connection with the battery, said lamp and hood member being movable as a unit between active and inactive positions, the lamp base being adapted upon movement of the lamp to active position to make electrical connection with the contact means to effect energization of the lamp.

15. A flashlight comprising in combination an elongated hollow battery carrier, a battery in the carrier, a receptacle mounted externally and in embracing relation on the carrier for relative rotative movement thereabout in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the carrier, a lamp in the receptacle and rotatable therewith as a unit about the carrier, said lamp having a conductive base extending into the interior of the carrier, the base being disposed 10 across one end of the battery and being directly engaged by and making direct electrical connection with on terminal of the battery in all rotative positions of the lamp, and means for making electrical connection between the lamp and the other terminal of the battery.

16. In combination in a flashlight, a hollow battery case and a hood and lamp unit comprising a body member disposed in embracing relation about the casing and a lamp interfitted with the body member, said body member being rotative on the battery case between on and off positions and having a socket opening for the lamp and a shouldered recess about the opening and substantially wholly external to the battery case, the lamp being received in the socket opening of the body member and having a flange disposed in the shouldered recess to locate the lamp in relation to the body member.

17. In combination in a flashlight, a hollow battery case having a lamp opening in one'side, a hood comprising a body member disposed in embracing relation about the case over the lamp opening, the hood being rotatable on the case between on and off positions and having a socket opening registering with the lamp opening and a shouldered recess about the lamp opening and substantially wholly external to the battery case, and a lamp interfitted with the body member for movement therewith, said lamp being received in the openings of the case and the body member and having a flange disposed in the shouldered recess and engaged against the battery case to locate the lamp in relation to both the body member and the case.

ANTHONY VON HAASE.

REFERENEEES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,194,986 Finkbeiner Aug. 15, 1916 1,739,316 Koban et a1 Dec. 10, 1929 1,875,650 Pemberton et a1 Sept. 6, 1932 2,014,266 Sherbondy Sept. 10, 1935 2,179,214 Hallbauer Nov. 7, 1939 2,258,541 Cressaty Oct. 7, 1941 2,299,148 Johnson Oct. 20 ,1942 2,373,390 Fuss Apr. 10, 1945 2,386,255 Morey Oct. 9, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 495,103 England Feb. 4, 1937 

